Fruits and Veggies Monday: Buddha Bowl with Garden Fresh Dressing
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i2.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_123503728.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend. The weather was a little cool and somewhat dreary around here, so @dksart and I had a fun time staying indoors and going bowling with some friends on Saturday night. We hadn't done that in a long time! There was some (not so fierce) competition, thus we needed something quite healthy and delicious to recharge our batteries on Sunday. Enter this week's Buddha Bowl!
I admit I actually used to be a little intimidated by all of the beautiful bowls I see posted every day on all of the blogs that I follow. While I do try to make my food look appetizing, I am not quite the artist that some of you wonderful people are. After a while I finally realized that it's not necessary to get super fancy with my bowls. Fresh ingredients with a delicious dressing or sauce are all you need to satisfy your taste buds and nutrient needs.
Our dear #fruitsandveggiesmonday host @lenasveganliving got a little peak at my creation in Instagram yesterday, so of course I had to share it with all of my Steemit buddies! I figured it was also about time again to share a recipe on a Monday instead of only teasing you with my meal prep. ;)
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i0.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_073715740.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
I always love the combo of raw and a few cooked items that most Buddha bowls have. I try to load up on fresh fruits and veggies as much as possible, but the addition of a small portion of whole grains and beans really helps fill me up and satisfy me. It's the best of both worlds! This week I opted for farro--one of my favorite ancient grains--and adzuki beans. Similar to the Kamut in my stuffed pepper recipe I shared last week, farro is full of fiber and plant-based protein. It is a really great complex carbohydrate option that will fill you up much better than any processed carbs, and should also leave you feeling light and less likely to get bloated. Though farro is not gluten-free, so you may need to sub for quinoa, millet or sorghum if you cannot tolerate gluten.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i1.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_121220888.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
I had to get most of my veggies from the store this week as our little garden is still in quite the early phases of growth, but I am still making the most out of the herbs. Since I got a lovely bunch of radishes to add to my bowl, I didn't want to let the leafy green tops go to waste. They made a great addition to my vibrant green dressing. Like most other leafy greens, they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Not to mention you get more bang for your buck by not throwing them away! I paired them with my usual haul of mint and lemon balm to bring a really fresh flavor to my bowl.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i0.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_113446499_hdr.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
I think I covered most of the rainbow with this creation. :) Radishes, carrots, celery, red bell peppers all with some arugula to add to the green power. It definitely hit the spot for lunch yesterday, and although it's only 10:30 am here I'm starting to get excited for another round today!
Buddha Bowl Base
- 1 cup farro (or other grain of choice), cooked
- 2 cups cooked azuki or other beans/lentils
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
- 3-4 stalks celery, cut into strips
- 3-4 carrots, shredded
- 1 bunch radishes, leafy tops removed & set aside, shredded
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- juice from 1/2 lime
- arugula or other leafy greens
- raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
Cook your grain and beans as needed, then set aside and let cool. I make a big batch at once so I can freeze some for easier meals later on.
Shred your carrots and radishes, then mix together in a bowl with the ginger and lime juice to make a small salad.
To assemble your bowls, place a large handful of the arugula in the base of your bowl. Top with a scoop each of the grains and beans, a handful of the celery and pepper, and also a scoop of the shredded salad. Sprinkle on some seeds and spoon over some of your dressing.
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i1.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_123943250_hdr.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons grapefruit white balsamic vinegar (sub rice wine vinegar or other light vinegar if needed)
- 1 lemon--zest & juice
- 1 ripe avocado
- green tops from your radish bunch, wash thoroughly
- handful each of fresh mint and lemon balm, or whatever herbs you have access to
- pinch of sea salt
Remove the pit from the avocado and scoop out the flesh. Place that in your blender along with all of the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust any proportions to your liking. Enjoy!
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://i0.wp.com/plantstoplanks.files.wordpress.com/2018/04/img_20180408_123158543.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
Don't forget to check out the latest compilation from my dear friend @woman-onthe-wing for this week's #makeithealthy magazine: https://steemit.com/makeithealthy/@woman-onthe-wing/the-make-it-healthy-project-magazine-issue-4
YUMmylicious!
Yes, indeedy! :) I will definitely be making this combo again.
Your post has been featured in Issue #5 of the Make It Healthy Project MAGAZINE. Many thanks for your inspiring contribution!
Looks super tasty 😋
Thanks! It's been quite delicious each time I've had some this week!
Happy Monday to you too! This looks very fresh and alive.
That's exactly how I felt after eating it. :) Thanks for stopping by!
Delicious! :)
More for lunch today. ;)
A buddha bowl that dreams are made of! That dressing looks absolutely divine too! Well done you!
Thank you so much! The dressing was so simple, but the herbs and radish greens made for a brilliant flavor. Definitely the perfect taste of spring!
I'm going to have to try it! Going to see what I can get my hands on tomorrow at the supermarket!
ive got to try that dressing recipe! the avocados are perfect for picking right now :D
Oh you definitely need to give it a try then! I have a hard time saving avocados for dressings because I just want to eat them with a spoon when they are fresh and perfectly ripe. Totally worth it when I can resist though, because this was a perfect topper for the bowl. :)
ok, so - i didnt have anything your recipe called for, except for the avocados hahaha. I used meyer lemon, arugula, spinach and green onion from my garden, and added some garlic and apple cider vinegar. it wasnt exactly a dressing per say, more like a mousse bc i had to add another avocado after realizing i put too much garlic hahaha. still delish over a grilled chicken salad :D thank you for the inspiration!
That sounds fantastic, too! Way to make it work! :)
I cant wait to try more combos! Boyfriend just harvested the rest of our garden so now its empty again and Ill have to wait for the next batch of whatever he decided to grow this time around, lol. Ive got about 20 avocados in various places around the kitchen though, so they ripen at different times. My landlord says we should have avos on the tree straight through summer. Im so excited!
Oh that's awesome to have fresh avocado! I'm definitely "green" with fruit envy. 😉
we really lucked out in finding this rental property. Theres a meyer lemon tree, 4 - 5 avocado trees, and a few naval orange trees around the yard. and the loquat tree right down the street!
Oh that's a wonderful entry!! I will try to do similar to my challenge. Thanks for the idea. Good luck sweety!!
Thank you Poly! Just saw your first day post! The good thing is you have lots of inspiration with all of the wonderful vegan recipes on Steemit! Mondays, Wednesdays and every day in between their are so many yummy things to find on here. :)
It is true! I have seen great ideas and I am going to try to adapt to what I can buy and it is achieved. I feel it is better to eat than I already have in the fridge to be more realistic. Your post inspire me!
That's the beauty of cooking--you can take a basic idea and shape it based on what you have on hand! I love coming up with fun stuff from what I already have in my refrigerator or pantry. :)
Omg, this looks so so good and fresh!!!
It's been a little chilly again, but this bowl really makes me feel like warmer weather is just around the corner! Thank you my friend!
We had such a great spring weather today!! Its so nice to be outside when the sun is shining and you dont need your jacket!!
We are finally getting some really nice days, too! Love it!
Nice! Happy you can enjoy the sun sweetie!!
It looks amazing, I crave 🤤
Regards!
Thank you! :)